PRESS RELEASE

April 13, 2011

MEDIA CONTACT: Stephanie Lowe, (513) 373-3242 mobile, slowe@cincymuseum.org

Volunteers recognized for their 112,320 hours of service at Cincinnati Museum Center

CINCINNATI—It’s National Volunteer Week, and there’s no bigger party than the celebration of 750+ volunteers at Cincinnati Museum Center.

With 112,320 hours of service—equivalent to 54 full time positions—volunteers play a vital role in the success of Museum Center. Volunteer service is estimated at a dollar value of $2,400,906.

“The unwavering support and commitment of our volunteers help to make Museum Center the world class institution it is today,” said Doug McDonald, president and CEO of Cincinnati Museum Center. “In all facets of our institution, from visitor services to research and collections, our volunteers contribute countless hours to the mission of Museum Center.”

On April 6, Museum Center honored the passion, dedication, and commitment to service of volunteers at the Volunteer Appreciation Banquet. More than 175 volunteers were honored with special awards. 

Barbara Beato, Terry Huizing and Harley Piltingsrud were recognized for their 15,000 + hours of service to Museum Center. Piltingsrud, clocking in at 20,000+ hours, has spent 25 years restoring the E.M. Skinner organ used in our annual Music in the Museum concert series. Piltingsrud began working on the project in 1986, four years before Cincinnati Museum Center opened at Union Terminal.

Al and Betty Adamson were honored for their 30 years of service to Museum Center. The Adamsons have devoted over 14,500 hours of service each to Museum Center’s archeology program, helping to catalogue and process the artifacts from our Hahn Site Field School.

The Mercedes Spiegel Award for Dedication to Volunteering was awarded to 42 volunteers in recognition of their 400+ hours of service in a single calendar year. The award is named after beloved Museum Center staff member Mercedes Spiegel, who lost a battle with cancer in 2002.

Volunteer Peer Awards were given to Cincinnati History Museum volunteers Carol Hockensmith, Harry Fehring and Jerry Seiter. Winners were nominated by fellow volunteers for their service excellence.

Two volunteers were honored as nominees for the ROSE Award, or Recognition of Service Excellence. Sponsored by the Tourism Council of Greater Cincinnati, the ROSE Awards is an annual program that recognizes employees who provide excellent service beyond the call of duty. Ruth Smith, of the Museum of Natural History & Science, and Barbara Jennings, of Heritage Programs, were honored for their excellence in visitor services.

Museum Center will continue to honor its volunteers throughout the week.

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About Cincinnati Museum Center
Cincinnati Museum Center at Union Terminal is a nationally recognized institution dedicated to sparking community dialogue, insight and inspiration. As one of the top cultural attractions in the Midwest, Cincinnati Museum Center has served as an educational, research and entertainment resource to millions of visitors from around the world. Organizations within Museum Center include the Cincinnati History Museum, Duke Energy Children's Museum, the Museum of Natural History & Science, the Robert D. Lindner Family OMNIMAX® Theater, and the Cincinnati Historical Society Library. These organizations combine to serve more than one million visitors annually, reaching out to nearly 400,000 young people through hands-on exhibits and programs. Originally built in 1933 as a train station, Union Terminal stands as one of the last remaining grand-scale Art Deco style railroad terminals. The building is a National Historic Landmark and was renovated and reopened as Cincinnati Museum Center in 1990. For information, call 1-800-733-2077 or visit www.cincymuseum.org.